MBA Journey

Interpersonal skill , Social Inteligence - Must have leadership skill

2011-10-17T06:32:00.000-07:00

Many are good with their technical, analytical, reasoning skill and also understanding complex scenarios but must have to succeed as a leader is Interpersonal skill in other words social intelligence.

Interpersonal skills include listening, communicating, persuade, and collaborate. As a brilliant thinker, innovator, technical guru develop or improve the interpersonal skills to succeed as a leader and ultimately in business.

Words not to use in a presentation

2011-09-14T13:30:00.000-07:00

We often use certain words such as You Know, Like I said etc in the presentation knowingly or unknowingly. In the blog post Never Ask 'Does That Make Sense? following words are mentioned not to use in a presentation . Following indicates the uncertainty on the part of the speaker about the accuracy or credibility of the content. and Doubt about the ability of the audience to comprehend or appreciate the content.
• "You know..." as if to be sure the listener is paying attention
• "Like I said..." as if to say that the listener didn't understand
• "Again..." as if to say that the listener didn't get it the first time
• "I mean..." as if to say that the speaker is unsure of his/her own clarity
• "To be honest..." as if to say the speaker was not truthful earlier
• "I'm like..." the universal filler which says absolutely nothing

While all of the preceding cast doubt on the competence of the presenter or the audience, another group of phrases and words casts doubt on the content itself:

• "Sort of"
• "Pretty much"
• "Kind of"
• "Basically"
• "Really"
• "Actually"
• "Anyway"

Dont forget you should never ask "Does that make sens"?

What are the factors which shape Industry Competition

2011-09-14T04:41:00.000-07:00

There are five factors which shape industry standards: Threat of New Entrants, Bargaining Power of Buyers, Threat of Substitute products or Services, Bargaining Power of Suppliers, threat of New Entrants and Rivalry Among Existing Competitors as shown below in the figure.

Above model was published in 1979 by Harvard Business Review “How Competitive Forces Shape Strategy” by a young economist and associate professor, Michael E. Porter.

Profitability of a company depends on the above five factors. This model or 5 forces can be used for evaluating strategy, start-up or an existing business among others. To understand industry competition and profitability, one must analyze the industry’s underlying structure in terms of the five forces.

How great leaders inspire action - Why, How, What

2011-09-01T16:54:00.000-07:00

Simon Sinek presents a simple but powerful model for how leaders inspire action, starting with a golden circle and the question "Why?" His examples include Apple, Martin Luther King, and the Wright brothers and as a counterpoint Tivo, which (until a recent court victory that tripled its stock price) appeared to be struggling.

Take a note - Nobody Has Time for Interns

2011-07-24T08:13:00.000-07:00

Its been a great learning experience working with a small business during MBA. We always believe its been duty of employer to devote utmost time as possible towards their MBA Interns. Believe me friends that's not the case with small business and senior executives.

We have to take in charge of how our internship look like and learn , take most out of it. Following article from HBR covers very well how no one has the time for interns.

Nobody Has Time for Interns

Investment banking MBA can learn from Comedian

2011-07-24T07:27:00.000-07:00

Interesting article on what MBA in an investment banking can learn from stand up comedian.

In a nut shell learning's are Brutal honesty, Venerability, and giving everyone a voice.

Read on this interesting article from HBR.

Top reasons - why to study abroad or in a foreign university

2010-04-30T15:07:00.001-07:00

Why to consider studying at a foreign university ?

There are various reasons why prospective students consider going abroad for their further studies. Courses may include vocational training, high school, diploma, graduate, under graduate or certificate courses etc... It is recommended that you review the reasons why you want to do your studies at universities outside of your country. Find below the top reasons to help all those who are planning to go abroad to continue their studies in foreign universities.

Studying at foreign universities improves value of your resume and increases employment opportunities: By travelling abroad already you proved your self, that you can take up the challenge of embracing different cultures, understanding of different cultures, you have seen the different working environments ( if you have work experience previous to your studies), you are independent and self motivated, if you are coming from developed or developing countries you have an extra edge as the companies in the country will be looking for candidates coming from such countries. Overall value of your resume increases as you are adding values to your personal and professional skill set by studying abroad.
Studying at abroad universities increases your networking skill: When you travel to a foreign country you have to make new friends, meet new colleagues at universities, have to work in a diversified group and study under professors coming from different background. Which makes not only you automatically improve networking skills, with little practice you can master it. Apart from the network back home in your country you have new network.
Preparations you make to study at foreign university will enrich your knowledge in various areas:Whole process of landing at foreign university from your home country is not easy. You have put up lot of work in doing that, rite from researching the university you want to study, course, place, application process, visa processing to travel and many more. Each of these process ads lots of value and enriches your knowledge. To realize this, once you land at foreign university just look back...
Various other reasons why you should consider studying abroad: - You will get lot of opportunities to travel different places, You can explore different foods and recipes at the different places you travel by your self, You can learn different languages, You can understand different cultures very closely by your self. Overall you will get an opportunity to understand your self and learn lot of things personally and professionally.

Good luck with your option of studying abroad! You can post other reasons why to study at the universities abroad ? at the comment section.

Documents to be carried - Studying Abroad at foreign universities

2010-04-30T15:06:00.001-07:00

You are success full in getting admission into a foreign university and you are excited to travel. While packing the items you want to carry its good to pay special attention to the documents. Its often noticed that students forget to carry valuable documents or misplace them in hurry! There fore in the list of items you are carrying while traveling abroad give documents the high priority. Following are the few important documents to which you should pay attention:

Passport: It may seem, its easy to remember. But passport is one of the most important document, student miss place during travel. Plan well where you are going to put your passport in your travelling bag ( Never ever put it in your check in bag), always make sure that you place back the passport after showing it to officers at airport or to any other authorities. Never give it to strangers. Scan the passport and email it to your personal email account. Its good to carry copies of passport in your check in bags and leave a copy with your family.
Travelling tickets and Passes: Before travelling just imagine as if you are travelling from the source to destination and ask yourself where you might need the tickets, it may be air tickets, bus or train. Make sure that you have all the required tickets in your travelling bag, Also leave the copy of those tickets with your family.
Money: Check out the currency of the country you are travelling and make sure you have enough money in cash till you reach the destination. Its good to carry money in different formats for example travelers check, credit cards, preloaded debit cards etc... Never carry huge cash with you and never give any cash information to strangers.
Medical Insurance: Its very important to have medical insurance before you travel. There are various options available to get medical insurance. Better is to contact the university you are going for more information on the medical insurance. Each country has its own medical system and medical facility at some countries are very costly. Therefore its strongly advised not to take any chance better purchase a medical insurance.
University Admission Documents: Carry all the college admission documents such as admission confirmation, fee payment receipt, scholarship and all other documents provided by admitting university or college.
Other documents to carry: - If you have made the arrangement for stay such as hostel, apartment or hotel, make sure that you carry the copy of document confirming the booking. - All the documents, which you submitted to Visa office in your country to get travel visa.

If possible scan all the copies of important documents and carry in the flash drive or external hard disk ( Its good to email into your personal email account). Finally make sure that the travel bag containing all the documents is always with you.

Add any other documents to be carried while travelling abroad for studies in the comment section.

Crucial factors to be considered before studying abroad

2010-04-30T15:05:00.001-07:00

How to choose a study abroad program ?

There are several important factors to be considered before going to study abroad or at a foreign university. Studying abroad is a crucial decision in one's life because of amount of time and money involved in it. There fore before considering any program one should carefully analyse the various factors to be considered before selecting a course in abroad university. Few of the factors are as follows,

Decide which course you are planning to take up: Studying abroad is a big and major investment you make in your life, you will be investing your hard earned or parents/guardian money in it. Take up the course which suits your area of interest and aligning to your career path, it may be in engineering, medicine, tourism, cooking, technology or arts etc. Check weather the program offers the courses you want to study, extra curricular activities, external projects, networking opportunities etc.

Which country to select for studying abroad: Selecting the country for studying abroad is as important as selecting the course you intended to take up. Do a good research of the place and country you are planning to go. Each country has merits and demerits, its depends on the kind of society, economy, government policies and educational institution. Overall select a place which offers enormous learning opportunity with liberal immigration rules. Another factor is the size of the city you are going to, consider the pros and cons of selecting bigger cities/metropolis vs the small cities/towns.

Better age or time to go for studying abroad: Trends shows that, increasing number of students travel to take up graduate and under graduate courses. Understand your personal situation and assess the situation yourself being abroad, to make a go or not go decision.

Its better to contact your friends or relatives who took the course abroad to get first hand information to make a better decision. Often the universities/colleges provide access to alumni or current students, so that you can ask questions an clarify the doubts.

Add other factors to be considered before studying abroad in the comments section.

Important things to say in an interview

2010-04-24T07:56:00.000-07:00

Important things to say in an interview:

I found the above article very use full for all the candidates attending interview including MBA's. With the growing competition in the labor market for getting job ( As their is less jobs available), presenting our self to prospective employer with our core competencies is very important.

Above article gives some idea on seven important things which we should say in an interview. They are as follows,

- I am very familiar with what your company does.

- I am flexible.

- I am energetic and have a positive attitude.

- I have a great deal of experience.

- I am a team player.

- I am seeking to become an expert in my field.

- I am highly motivated.

MBA GYM - New way of learning the MBA courses

2010-04-07T18:25:00.000-07:00

Financial Times provides service called MBA Gym, which i found very interesting and interactive way of learning the concepts taught in MBA. MBA Gym provides free, interactive online training sessions on key concepts taught on the Masters in Business Administration programme at business schools, such as Strategy & Operations, Finance, Marketing, Leadership, Economics etc....

It consists of a series of workouts, each lasting for approximately 15 minutes. Each workout has been designed to give a brief and engaging introduction to the subject. Each "workout" provides an introduction to some key business ideas. The purpose is to help you decide if an MBA could help you go further.

Link: http://www.mbagym.com/

How much reputation of university or college plays a role in your MBA degree ?

2010-04-05T16:31:00.000-07:00

"How much role the reputation of university/college plays in your MBA degree ? " this is another question often asked by few of my friends and those aspiring to do an MBA.

In short "yes" reputation of university or college plays a major role in several aspects. But reputation itself will not make your resume or CV better. Ultimately its your personality which matters. Reason because, i have seen several from best institutes not able to find job or landing in a good job.

Some times the universities without not much of reputation provide very good environment to learn and grow. Universities with high reputation's may have huge number of class, which some time leads to not so attention by professors towards students.

Therefore weigh upon different factors ( Such as quality of study, faculty/student ratio, university fee, cost of living, networking opportunities etc...) before selecting the university or college to do an MBA.

Participating at Product Design Funda!

2010-03-11T16:34:00.000-08:00

I will participate at www.productdesignfunda.com/

Reasons to participate in this website:

* Networking opportunity

* Sharing of knowledge and lot of opportunities to learn

* Groups i can create and join the one i like

* Forum to communicate among my network and much more

Analyse the job market and your profile before going abroad for MBA

2010-01-21T16:52:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

One of the common question i receive from MBA aspirants is " How is the job market? Will i get a job after MBA ? Will the job market pick up ? etc...

My suggestions for analyzing the job market are as follows,

Clearly look at your profile and the value MBA brings into your profile - clue is in answering Why MBA? question typically asked during MBA admission. Give a serious try in answering that question.
Talk to as many people as possible to understand the job market and future of job market. I know the current scenario is unpredictable. But try to make sincere effort to reach out to as many people, tell them about your profile and expectations after MBA to get good feedback.
You can also do some research looking into popular job portals in the country you are planning to do MBA. I believe job portals will provide you an idea about the kind of skills set in demand.

Friends no can guarantee you a job. Talk to Alumni of the university or college, where you are planning to do MBA. They are the good source to provide you an accurate picture.

Good luck...

Did you analysed your financial position before MBA?

2010-01-12T16:59:00.000-08:00

Thought of posting this "Did you analysed your financial position before MBA?" asked by one my close friend recently to me. This is one of the important question every MBA Candidate should answer before considering doing MBA Abroad or High fee domestic MBA. Friends, clearly analyse your financial position looking minimum two year down the line from the probable date of starting your MBA. Also consider evaluating the opportunity cost i.e the salary you will be loosing, forth coming promotion or relocation opportunity available to you ( In case if you are considering doing your MBA, to shift to abroad - I have seen many of such cases), family ties and many more... list goes on. Dont make any urgent decision, take good time to analyse every aspect of personal and professional life before getting into tough MBA life ...

Networking - Little info and tips

2010-01-10T17:44:00.000-08:00

Coming to the job hunting now i can completely realize and articulate the importance of networking while finding the job. Its true that more than 70% of the jobs filled by the referrals, because i have seen that happening with my previous work experience. MBA helped me to effectively build the networking among the local business community. Currently using famous networking websites like LinkedIn and Xing to expand my network. May be these networking will not help me for time being but in long term they will definitely going to be helpful.

After Graduation

2010-01-05T20:26:00.000-08:00

Yeah - Now i am an MBA, specialized in Innovation and Technology Management. I thought demanding and tough life at B - School will be challenging. Now after graduation i could really feel the tough economic environment effects on the job market. As an MBA, when i look back i can jolt down the milestone I have crossed,

1. Getting good work experience ( Minimum of four years)
2. Taking TOFEL and GMAT exams
3. B - School applications : getting admission offer
4. Completing MBA
5. Finding job in this tough market

I will continue to write the Job hunting strategies in the next posting...

Job Hunting...

2009-09-08T10:42:00.001-07:00

Another two weeks left for completing my MBA, I have started searching for full time job opportunities. Its a mixed feeling to be graduating with an MBA, excitement for completing it, nervous looking at dismal job market.

I will keep posting my job hunting strategies...

MBA Life... Continued...

2009-08-24T20:31:00.000-07:00

Fifth Module:

This module started with lot of excitement with only two courses to attend and a final project. Courses for this module are " Current topics in Technology Management" and " Process Improvement Strategies" - i believe very important and interesting courses, which every future manager or leader has to be aware of in this ever changing world.

As i mentioned in the fourth module the crazy thing in the B school is internship or full time job. Now my focus in towards finding a full time job as i will be completing my MBA by next month end (September). In forth coming posts i will cover all about searching for jobs. i.e. My journey towards full time job...

MBA Life...

2009-08-24T20:10:00.000-07:00

In this post I will cover my journey towards MBA. UNBSJ MBA is one year course with five modules.

Fourth module:

It’s been almost eight months into my MBA. Really I don’t know how these eight months went. Probably as fast as small and quick thunder storm. When I look back, it gives me sense of satisfaction to learn new things with diverse group of individuals. I wanted to share my happiness and rejoice, I am experiencing after realizing the hard work I had put during the third module.

This module I will be working on an internship with Business Health Matters and a course in Project Management. As engineer I have seen the importance of Project management throughout my past work experience. I believe the course in leadership enriched the view on project management. I believe the skill of project management combined with effective leadership skill will increase the efficiency and effectiveness of a manager.

Third module:

Third module we entered into our respective stream. Innovation and Technology Management (ITM) and International Business stream had three common courses and two different courses pertaining to their field. Core courses were Strategic management and Entrepreneurship. ITM courses were Commercialization of New products and services and Management of Innovations.

Internship: If there is anything that could be both extremely crazy and incomparably gratifying in a B school, it would be recruiting for internship or final job. That is what I and most of my classmates have been doing over the last month (May).

After two weeks, I got selected into the Business Health Matters, Industry jobs have kicked in and filled the gap created by recession. These job posts have gone up significantly. In turn, this has brought the overall job posts made in our class gone up. That doesn't make us feel that bad. The good thing that is happening is that people are thinking harder now than ever to see what exactly they want to do. Michelle and Deb worked extra hard and made sure we have all these options. They brought in more new companies/organizations, and that seems to have helped balance the situation.

Second module:

Second module covered the core courses in which the few courses were extension of first module. During second module the team with whom I will be working was selected randomly. The team work was extraordinary and was better than the first module. The reason might be the increased level of confidence among each team members after the first module I thought the second module will give me a lot more of new experience than first module.

I started the module as a wreck and today, I feel better than I have felt in quite some time. Both personally and professionally, I've found myself in situations where I was forced to ask really deep and difficult questions to myself, in places where I had to reassess my beliefs and opinions about people, and I believe I made the right decisions. To sum it up, I think second module completed what started sometime last January - to help me learn about myself, and to improve upon what I saw. I believe I've done that well. Time will tell.

First module:

First module started with lot of excitement, courses covered the basic MBA technical courses such as Economics, Business research methods to Managing organizations. All the courses were completely new to me and I struggled a lot in the initial days to pickup. The group projects in all the courses are enriching experience for me. I got to learn lot of things from each of the group members. Group work made me to appreciate the challenge of working with diverse individuals. I thoroughly enjoyed working with the my group, as usual agreement and disagreements are used to be very part of us. Whenever conflicts arise, I used to jump in and tried to stop the conflict. Some time that behaviour of mine put me in trouble. I learnt when to jump in for trouble shooting the problems in the team and not to jump in.

I felt, B- School is a strange experience where you grow into a confident individual who can literally take on the world, but also learn to be humble about yourself. B school is also difficult in the sense that this is a place that will put you through the toughest test you've ever faced - but only to prepare you for tougher tests that you'd face in the future. Without your knowledge, you will stretch yourself in multiple areas, and in the process improve yourself in all those areas, provided you handle it well. I am seeing that happening to myself (and a lot of my friends), and hence I am glad I made this decision.

Tough life... MBA

2009-03-08T22:27:00.000-07:00

Its been almost four months into my MBA. Really i dont no how these four month went. Probably as fast as small thunder storm. By next week my second module will be over. When i look back, it gives me sense of satisfaction to learn new things with diverse group of individuals. Same time missing the Mother land India, especially Bangalore ( Silicon valley of Asia).

Will update shortly...

1. Analytical Writing Assessment section (AWA) - GMAT

2008-03-29T08:08:00.000-07:00

The Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) of the GMAT is designed as a direct measure of your ability to think critically and to communicate your ideas. The AWA consists of two 30-minute writing tasks : Analysis of an Issue and Analysis of an Argument.

The issues and arguments presented on the test concern topics of general interest related to business or a variety of other subjects. A specific knowledge of the essay topic is not necessary; only your capacity to write analytically is assessed.

Analysis of an Issue:
Analysis of an Issue section, you will need to analyze the issue presented and explain your point of view on the subject. There is no correct answer. Instead, you should consider various perspectives. Use relevant reasons or examples drawn from your experience, observations, or reading to develop your own position on the issue.

Analysis of an issue measures ???
The Analysis of an Issue tests your ability to explore the complexities of an issue or opinion and, if appropriate, to take a position that is informed by your understanding.

Analysis of an Argument:
Analysis of an Argument section, you will need to analyze the reasoning behind a given argument and write a critique of that argument. You are not being asked to present your own views on the subject.

Consider the following when developing your essay:
• What questionable assumptions underlie the thinking behind the argument?
• What alternative explanations or counterexamples might weaken the conclusion?
• What sort of evidence could help strengthen or refute the argument?

Analysis of an argument measures???
Analysis of an Argument section tests your ability to formulate an appropriate and constructive critique of a specific conclusion based on a specific line of thinking.

GRADUATE MANAGEMENT ADMISSION TEST - GMAT

2008-03-14T04:07:00.000-07:00

GMAT ???
The Graduate Management Admissions Test is the standardized exam used by graduate business schools for admissions decisions. It is designed and produced by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) and administered through the Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC).

It measures ???
GMAC claims the GMAT can measure basic analytical, quantitative and reasoning abilities developed over time. However, according to the GMAC web site, the GMAT does not measure: “every discipline-related skill necessary for academic work, nor does it measure subjective factors important to academic and career success, such as motivation, creativity, and interpersonal skills.” It continues, “GMAT scores cannot be used to estimate potential for success in a career, because many factors other than basic verbal and mathematical abilities influence work performance.”

Exam duration ???
The GMAT requires three hours and thirty minutes. Two and half hours (75 minutes each for the verbal and quantitative sections) are for the multiple-choice items and one hour (30 minutes each for the two essays) for the AWA. Two breaks (five minutes each) are optional.

GMAT consists of
1. Analytical Writing Assessment section (AWA)
2. Quantitative section, and
3. Verbal section

I will cover above sections one by one...

GMAT SCORE AND GRADING ???
The Verbal and Quantitative sections are each scored on a scale of 0-60. A Total score is calculated by adding Verbal and Quantitative scores then converting this number to a 200-800 point scale. The Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) is scored on a 1-6 scale. This section, in which students have an opportunity to display creative, innovative and concise writing skills, is graded by two “evaluators,” one of which is a computer.

GMAT Preparation !!!
Don’t be afraid of taking GMAT, because it neither measures your knowledge of business or job skills nor does it measure a specific content in your undergraduate course work.
Preparation is the best way to beat the GMAT. By practicing you can get best test taking tactics and master the thinking skills.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR MANAGEMENT COURSES

2008-03-07T23:50:00.000-08:00

1. University Degree
2. Entrance Test Score - GMAT, CAT, TOFEL etc... Depending upon the college you apply.
3. Work Experience
4. Statement of purpose - You should be able to outline, why you applied for a particular program, what kind of career you intend to pursue after graduating and why you decided to apply at this University.
5. Curriculum Vitae - Stating your previous studies and the corresponding periods and dates as well as the required work experience.
6. Reference Letter - Academic or Work experience

Note: Admission requirements varies from college to college. Contact the admission officer or relevant personnel before applying to the specific program to know about the admission requirements... Good Luck

Common Entrance Tests in India and Abroad - Admission to management courses:

- COMMON ADMISSION TEST (CAT) - INDIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT (IIMs) WEBSITE: http://www.iimahd.ernet.in/
- IBSAT- (THE ICFAI BUSINESS STUDIES APTITUDE TEST) WEBSITE: www.icfai.org/ibsat
- JOINT MANAGEMENT ENTRANCE TEST (JMET) - INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (IITs & IISc) WEBSITE: www.iitr.ernet.in/gate
- AIMS TEST FOR MANAGEMENT ADMISSIONS (ATMA)- THE ASSOCIATION OF INDIAN - MANAGEMENT SCHOOLS (AIMS) WEBSITE: http://www.atma-aims.org/
- XAT (XLRI ADMISSIONS TEST) - XLRI, JAMSHEDPUR WEBSITE: www.xlri.edu/xat
- SNAP - SNAP Test for Symbiosis Postgraduate Programs WEBSITE: http://www.snaptest.org/

- GMAT - Graduate Mangement Admission Test WEBSITE: www.mba.com

Basic Types of MBA

2008-03-02T09:47:00.000-08:00

MBA is a master's degree in business administration.

Basic types of MBA programs,

Two year MBA - It takes two academic years. Students enter with a reasonable amount of prior real-world work experience and take classes during weekdays like other university students.
One year MBA - It takes one academic years. Students enter with a reasonable amount of prior real-world work experience. They involve a higher course load and less "down time" during the program and between semesters.
Part time MBA - MBA programs normally hold classes on weekday evenings, after normal working hours. Part-time programs normally last three years or more. The students in these programs typically consist of working professionals, who take a light course load for a longer period of time until the graduation requirements are met.
Executive MBA - Executive MBA programs developed to meet the educational needs of managers and executives, allowing students to earn an MBA or another business-related graduate degree in two years or less while working full time.

Distance Learning MBA - MBA classes are held off campus. Courses are delivered in correspondence course through Postal, broadcast video, teleconference etc.,

We need to choose MBA course, college and specilisation depending on carrier goal...